The number of transmissions of messages in a computer or telecommunication network has in the recent years increased significantly. The short message service (SMS) and more recently the multimedia message service (MMS) have become important tools for handling business and common daily routines. Similarly, use of e-mails has accelerated communication between parties as well as expanded the geographical potential of communication between parties separated by great distances.
Lately, communication terminals have evolved to perform, in addition to voice communication, generation and transmission of text messages such as SMS messages as well as MMS messages comprising a video, picture or audio sequence. Furthermore, the communication terminals have evolved to include personal office assistant features such as calendar, address book, or e-mail functions.
Due to the fact that the telecommunication message services and the e-mail services have increased, and that the number of applications to administrate, execute, edit and handle has evolved, the user is required specific knowledge as to how to use them all, especially in combination.
European patent publication no. EP 0 458 563 discloses a radio telephone apparatus which is capable of receiving alphanumeric text messages. The apparatus comprises an internal application capable of processing the text message in such a manner that a telephone number or telephone numbers can be picked out from the rest of the message. Further, the telephone number can be corrected, supplemented, and stored in a memory in the telephone apparatus. It is also possible to place a call to the telephone number picked out from the message.
This feature is well known today and used daily by all mobile phone users. However, it does not fulfil the demands of the great varieties of services that are possible within today's telecommunication networks.
International publication no. WO 01/22680 discloses a method of operating a mobile terminal, wherein it is determined whether a received text message includes text that represents a Uniform Resource Indicator (URI). The mobile terminal comprises launch control logic for identifying an URI in the text, and when the launch control logic identifies an URI, the URI is made selectable, and if the user selects it, an application associated with the URI is invoked. The application can be provided by an external service such as a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) service, a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (http) or telnet scheme for interactive service via the TELNET Protocol.
These features are similar to the features disclosed in EP 0 458 563. However, the International application is generally directed to Internet-type (Wireless Application Protocol) communication instead of ordinary telephone calls.
Present technology provides a user with many features, but also requires the user to have or accumulate knowledge regarding all features of a communication terminal, and know-how to access or utilise these features. Since many users do not know all available applications in their communication terminal, these applications do not provide the user with sufficient added value to their communication.